A Neko's Angel
by Night-the-Dragon
Summary: Neku is a neko, and Night is his only friend. When Neku gets a kiss from a mysterious winged dobutsu, he starts to doubt himself and begins to panic. What will happen when they meet again? JoshuaxNeku, mentioning of yaoi, mpreg, and some language. POV is from my OC, Night. Also, PLEASE no flaming. It's really rude.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, I know, I know, another new story without finishing any of the others or updating them, blah blah blah. Honestly, I don't care. I finally decided to write something other than AkuRoku for once, and I chose the pairing of Joshua and Neku from The World Ends With You! Anyhoo, this is gonna be AU, so not in the game, or post-game or pre-game. Also, one last thing, it'll all be from Night's POV. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 1

_Everything will drastically change soon…_

That was my last thought in my dream before I was pounced on and rudely awoken. My pure silver eyes flew open, and orange flooded my vision. I gasped, and almost immediately kicked off my attacker, but when I gasped, I caught the familiar scent of my friend who had pounced on me.

"Neku, get OFF!" I barked, struggling a bit beneath him. I heard him purr in amusement, but he got off of me. As he stepped back, his slender orange tail flicking back and forth with anger, I noticed he seemed unusually irritable.

Normally the orange-haired neko was quiet, sullen, private, and not playful at all. At least, he had been that way for about the past five years, and he's eighteen now. He really kept to himself, but I was the exception to that. I was bonded with Neku through his heart when he was just an infant, so he shared a lot of things with me. We were very close.

I had come to this world to find him when he was born, anyway. While I was back in my home world, Dragon Realms, I was sent a series of dreams from the spirit world, and they depicted me going to the human world and finding a child. I knew he was special the moment I had the first dream about him, especially seeing as he was a neko, and they were extremely rare in the human world, and being non-existent in mine. I'd only known of them through reading books in the library, but there were other dobutsu, as they were called. There was the inu, the dog person, the ookami, the wolf person, the kitsune, the fox person, and many more different kinds.

Anyway, I arrived in Neku's world about 8 days before he was born, and I was very fortunate to have found him, but it was under unfortunate circumstances. His parents had been killed as a result of being dobutsu themselves, and Neku was found when his parents' home had been discovered. I had just so happened to have been staying somewhat nearby, and when I heard the screams and smelled the blood, I raced through the forest to find the source.

By the time I had arrived, it was too late for Neku's parents, but Neku was still alive. The people who had killed his family were about to kill him, but I had swiftly dove in and killed the men who were going to kill an innocent newborn life. Once the deed was done, I calmed Neku down, and discovered his parents had already chosen his name for him, as it was written down and circled on a paper titled "Our Baby's Name" inside their ransacked home. I had raised Neku from an infant to who he is today, and he had turned out a lot like me, but also different in some ways, besides the obvious physical ones.

We were both quiet and not very talkative, preferring to communicate telepathically, so we didn't talk much when it was just the two of us. On very rare occasions, though, we would run into another dobutsu while traveling through the massive forest, but Neku would hide his orange cat ears with his pair of purple headphones and would puff out his tail, making it fluffy and not looking like a cat tail. We would go into the city sometimes, too, and I would simply use my shape-shifting abilities to transform into a human, while Neku kept his ears covered or down, depending on whether or not he had to talk to someone, and kept his tail hidden in his pants.

We noticed on occasion that we weren't the only ones who did this. There were other dobutsu that would disguise themselves and walk amongst the humans undetected. The only reason Neku and I would do this was if we needed new clothes for him, special occasion foods, or trinkets such as Neku's headphones. We didn't go often, but when we did, we didn't stay long.

As for the clothes, Neku hadn't needed any new clothes in a while. He was fully grown by the time he turned 17, so that made it easier. And as far as getting money went…I would snitch some here and there from people that were distracted, not paying attention, or wouldn't detect it. Neku would just rob people while they traveled through the forest, just like any other dobutsu. We still seemed to have more than we needed, though, but we held on to it anyway, just in case. After all, you never know what'll end up happening.

It was good that we had the extra money, too, because otherwise I never would've been able to get Neku his headphones and music player. I remembered how he had complained to me once that he hated always having to keep his ears constantly pinned down while in town, so that was why I had gotten the music player and headphones. It made him more comfortable when he could block out the sounds of other people.

Anyway, enough explanation, back to the matter at hand. I looked Neku over, studying him to make sure there was nothing wrong with him besides the fact that he seemed angrier than usual. When I finished looking him over, I finally spoke.

"And why are you so angry now?" I asked, confused. He simply shrugged and started to swing his legs slightly while sitting on a wide branch from the tree we had slept in last night, and that meant he was upset about something. I gave him a stern look. "Do I have to search your mind to find out, or are you gonna tell me?"

"Damn it, Night, that's not fair!" he snapped. I kept the same stern look on my face, though, and he sighed irritably. "Fine. I met someone today while you were still sleeping, and he pissed me off." I tilted my head sideways slightly.

"How did he piss you off? You normally block people like that out," I pointed out.

"I couldn't. Apparently, he can use telepathy like us, but his can be with anyone," he informed me.

"Seriously?" I asked in disbelief. He gave a short nod, and then began to sulk. "What did he look like?"

"Well, he's my height, has violet eyes, ashen blonde hair, and white feathered wings," he told me flatly. I could tell there was something else bothering him, so I decided to ask.

"Okay, I know for a fact that he didn't just piss you off, Neku. What exactly did he do?" Neku was silent for a few moments. Right as I was about to ask again, he finally replied.

"He kissed me." His voice was almost a whisper.

"What?!" I yelped. He seemed upset about it, but not angered. His upset felt more like confusion than anything else. His pale blue eyes shimmered a bit, and I could tell he was about to cry. I scrabbled to my feet and quickly made my way over to him, gently wrapping one of my long, slender wings around his back.

"He kissed me, and I didn't push him away. I couldn't. I wanted to, but my body wouldn't let me," he mumbled, the tears finally starting to fall. I loosely wrapped my tail over his shoulders in comfort and murmured soothing words in his ear. Neku's crying soon turned into sobs, and I almost felt my heart break in two from the sound. He had never cried before, even when I told him how his parents were killed and how I had found him. He had never cried before this, so I knew this had scared him badly.

"Neku?" I asked softly once he had calmed down. He hiccupped and nodded slightly, acknowledging me. "Where did you meet him at?"

"By the spring…" he breathed, and I nodded to myself. "Night, please don't leave me right now. I don't want to be alone…"

"I won't go anywhere," I promised him. "I just wanted to know so that way I'll know we need to avoid that area for a while." He nodded slightly again, and his ears lowered slightly, showing his depression. I sighed and started humming a soothing tune to lull Neku to sleep. He needed to sleep off this feeling, and regain his energy. I knew he was emotionally drained after his episode, so he needed the sleep. I gently stroked my claws through the soft, spiky locks of orange hair, and thought to myself, _Oh, Neku, if only you knew what this could mean…_

X*X*X*X

It was dusk by the time Neku finally woke up, and I felt him stir beside me as he started to awaken. I had stayed with him all day, refusing to leave his side even to eat or get a drink of water. When he began to wake up, I placed a hand on his shoulder to let him know it was me beside him, and he looked at me. He looked awful; his pale blue eyes were red-rimmed and still slightly puffy, his face was still slightly pink, and his nose was a bit red. I pulled out a damp cloth from my pack for him to wipe his face with, and he accepted it in silence. Once he had wiped his face off, he handed me the cloth and sighed deeply. Then he spoke.

"Night…Why wasn't I able to push him away?" he asked softly. "I willed my body to move, but it wouldn't. Was he able to control me or something?"

"I highly doubt he was able to control you, Neku," I assured him. "As for why you weren't able to push him away…I think I know why." Neku's eyes widened as he stared at me.

"Why, Night?" he breathed.

"…Because you may be in heat," I said hesitantly. He seemed confused, and I sighed. "Okay, first off: have you been feeling warmer than usual?" He nodded, seeming reluctant. "Then you're in heat." He still seemed confused, so I explained. "Heat is when a dobutsu, such as a neko, inu, ookami, kitsune, etc. is ready to bear young. At least, the body is. Obviously, your body is ready, Neku, but you're not mentally or emotionally." He seemed stunned into shock with what I had told him, and then his eyes started to fill with tears again. As he began to sob, he choked out a sentence.

"But…h-how…? I-I'm a guy…not a girl!" I gently wrapped my wings around him in comfort and answered his question.

"Neku…some male dobutsu are capable of bearing young," I told him gently. "The reason this other dobutsu kissed you without getting to know you first or anything was because he could smell your heat. When a dobutsu goes into heat, they give off a scent that male dobutsu that can't have a heat can smell, and this other dobutsu who kissed you probably wanted to mate with you. I'm honestly surprised you got away without a scratch." He sniffled quietly, and then answered me.

"I got away because I revealed my ears and tail to him, and then scratched him," he whispered. I understood why the other male let him go then. A neko like Neku is incredibly rare, and Neku is the only one I know of. It must have stunned the other male that he was going after a neko. Even Neku's mother wasn't a neko; she was a kitsune, but she must have had some neko in her to have a neko as obvious as Neku. Neku knew how rare his kind was, and that was why he disguised himself the way he did when we encountered other dobutsu. I hugged Neku close.

"We'll stay in hiding out here for a week, okay, Neku?" I suggested, and he nodded, and then looked at me.

"Why a week?" he asked softly.

"Because by then your heat will have ended, and the scent will have faded by then, too," I explained, and he nodded slowly in understanding. I reached into my pack and pulled out a water bottle from it and handed it too him after taking off the cap, and he drank from it greedily, quenching his thirst. He polished off the whole thing, and when he finished, I stuffed the empty bottle into my pack to refill it at the river when we next got the chance. I held Neku close to comfort him as he fell back to sleep, and I fell asleep beside him, feeling like someone was watching us.

A/N: And I know you now know that this is gonna be an mpreg! Seriously, there are NOT enough mpreg fan fictions on here for Joshua & Neku, nor are there any Joshua & Neku fics with them as animal hybrids! Also, sorry about not explaining the dobutsu thing before; it basically means animal in Japanese, and in this, it basically means half-human half-animal hybrid. Credit goes to KairiMcEwin on here for the idea of using dobutsu in her fan fictions, "Of Cats And Dragons" and "Nine Lives". Anyway, Read & Review, peeps!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2 is here! I like this so far; it's turning out pretty good, in my opinion. Anyway, I was sent a review about my last chapter, and as it turns out, this isn't the only dobutsu story there is. **Milaya Milen Zeal** has written a couple of stories with the same theme of dobutsu, so if you want, go ahead and check them out! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 2

The following morning came, and with it, a sense of peace. I shifted slightly in the tree hollow, and felt Neku stir next to me. We had fallen asleep together, with my right wing wrapped around him almost like a blanket. We typically slept in this tree, taking refuge from the cold nights in the hollow that was high up from the ground. I could hear Neku's chest rumbling from his slight purring as he slept, so I knew he was content. Cracking open my eyes, I peeked outside, and saw that the sun had risen and it was bright outside.

I raised my head and yawned widely, feeling my skin quiver beneath my silver plated armor. Carefully, I sat up; withdrawing my wing from Neku and folding it neatly against my back. As I stretched a bit, I felt a bit of regret, for I had to wake Neku. We hadn't eaten yesterday, and only drank a little, so we needed to replenish our energy today.

I refused to leave Neku's side, for fear of another male trying to mate with him, so I would be very careful as we traveled through the forest today. We would have to make use of our secret places we had discovered over the years, but it wouldn't be a big deal.

I gently shook Neku, feeling him start to wake, and he groaned quietly. "Neku, come on. It's time to wake up," I told him. "We need to eat, seeing as we didn't yesterday, and you'll need the energy." Neku slowly sat up, his eyes unfocused, but soon focused on me. He gave a tiny squeak as he yawned, and then rubbed his eyes vigorously to get the sleep out of them. I chuckled and tousled his spiky hair teasingly, and he swatted my hands away, laughing a bit.

"Well, if we're gonna eat, can it at least be fish?" he asked once we had stopped laughing.

"Sure, Neku. Whatever you feel like having," I promised him. "We'll just have to go to our secret portion of the river, and then we'll fill the water bottles there, too." The neko nodded in understanding, and once he was more awake, we scaled down the tree. He seemed nervous as we trekked through the forest, so I slowed my pace down so he could keep close to me. A few minutes passed and he still seemed anxious, so I jumped neatly onto his shoulder and perched there.

"How come you're on my shoulder instead of leading, Night?" he asked, seeming confused.

"Because I know you're nervous due to yesterday, and understandably so," I murmured to him. "And besides, this way I can keep you safe." He flashed me a grateful smile, to which I tousled his hair again and laughed lightly. He swatted my hands away and glared at me playfully, and then continued walking. As we made our way through the forest, I couldn't help but feel like we were either being followed or watched. I looked around, heightening my senses to detect anything out of the ordinary, but I couldn't sense anything.

We were almost at our secret portion of the river when it happened. Neku tensed beneath me, and I immediately bristled in warning. My gaze sharpened as I cautiously scanned the area, but I still saw nothing. My hearing, though, detected a faint rustling of feathers nearby. I swiftly pinpointed the location, and shot a small fireball at it. There was a yelp of alarm, and a sizzle, and then a small huff of anger. Suddenly, a pale figure shot out from the tree tops where I had shot my small fireball at, and tackled us. I was knocked off from Neku's shoulder, but quickly recovered and ran over to him.

I glared heavily at the dobutsu before us; he was the same one that had gotten to Neku yesterday, and he really did have large, white, feathered wings. He was smirking casually at us as he stuck his hands into the pockets of his dark, flared jeans. I noticed his light blue, button-up shirt was unbuttoned at the top two, exposing his pale chest slightly.

I heard Neku's breath hitch, and that confirmed my suspicions. This was definitely the guy who had kissed Neku yesterday. I flicked my eyes at Neku to look at him for a moment; his eyes were wide and filled with fear and he was shaking slightly. My gaze hardened at the dobutsu before us.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded of him. He simply giggled, but answered my question.

"My name is Joshua," he answered, his lavender eyes sparkling with amusement. "And who, may I ask, are you?" I flared my wings wide in an attempt to shield Neku from view.

"My name is Night, and I'm a silver armored dragon," I growled. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then returned to normal after a second.

"Why are you with that darling neko?" he asked, seeming perplexed. I narrowed my silver eyes to slits at him.

"Because I raised him," I snapped. "I'm also his closest friend, protector, and all he has." Joshua looked surprised by all of this, but I didn't let my guard down. Neku whimpered quietly behind me, so I gently touched his hand with my tail to comfort him.

"Well, Night, I know you know he's in heat," Joshua finally said after a few moments. I curled my lip, revealing a bit of my razor-sharp fangs. "And I want to help you, so please, just come with me." My eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and then I snorted, making a puff of smoke come out from my nostrils.

"You've gotta be kidding me," I scoffed. Joshua shook his head, showing me he was serious. "Why would you want to help us out? It's obvious you want Neku as your mate, and he's not emotionally or mentally ready for that. It's also painfully obvious after what you did to him yesterday." Joshua winced slightly at the mention of yesterday, which surprised me a bit.

"I want to help you because I want to help protect him from other dobutsu that may try to take him," the silverette answered. "And I want to apologize for yesterday, too. Can I make it up to you by helping you? Trust me; I have more self-restraint than others."

"Apparently not if you pretty much just kissed him without getting to know him or consider his feelings first," I growled. Joshua's violet eyes dimmed a bit, and his expression became sorrowful.

"I truly am sorry…" he murmured. "The scent of his heat was very powerful, though, and I had never experienced such a strong scent. I know now how to control myself, though."

…_Night…maybe we should trust him…_ Neku thought to me. I flicked my gaze back to him, shocked.

_Neku…are you sure?_ I thought back. _Why would you want to trust him, especially after yesterday?_ He swallowed timidly and stood up, picking me up and placing me on his right shoulder. His ears were pinned down a bit, but they slowly began to stand back up straight again, and the fur on his tail began to flatten, making his tail look like normal. He bit his lip and nodded to me, answering my question from before. I sighed and slung my tail around his other shoulder, then looked to Joshua.

"Fine. We'll let you help us," I said coldly. "Just don't try anything stupid, or I'll shred you." Joshua nodded in understanding, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with happiness at my answer.

"First of all, though, what is your name, dear?" he asked Neku.

"…Neku…" the neko whispered, terrified. Joshua smiled softly at him, and Neku relaxed a bit. I sighed again, knowing this would either end really well, or really bad. It all depended on Neku's response to Joshua, and whether or not they grew close. I gestured to Joshua for him to lead the way. He nodded and began to lead us off to…wherever he was taking us.

"Joshua, where exactly are we going, anyway?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. Joshua looked back at us and smirked.

"To the springs. It's where I live," he answered. I felt Neku tense up slightly, so I gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. He relaxed again at that, but I knew that this meant that, if things didn't end well by the end of the week, Neku and I would have to forever avoid the springs. God, it was getting more and more complicated, now wasn't it? This whole situation was just a pain. If only Neku didn't have a heat. Even if I knew, though, I wouldn't have tried to change anything.

"Really," Neku said, reverting to his introverted self. He grabbed his headphones and pulled them over his ears, turning on his music as well. I knew he needed some alone time, so I left him alone. Besides, this gave me the chance to speak to Joshua about some things. I focused my attention on him as Neku just focused on keeping up with Joshua and watching his step.

"Joshua." My voice was soft, as I didn't want to attract Neku's attention with our speaking. Fortunately, though, the orange-haired neko looked completely uninterested, and I could just hear a bit of his music streaming from his headphones, so he wouldn't be able to hear us. Joshua looked back at me once before turning his attention back to the direction of the springs.

"Yes?" he said. I had many questions, but couldn't decide on which one to ask him first. In the end, I went with the first one that popped into my head.

"What kind of dobutsu are you?" I asked. Joshua giggled, but answered me.

"I'm sort of a bird, I guess you could say, but technically, I'm not a dobutsu," he answered. I cocked my head to the side when he said that.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm actually an angel," he said. My jaw dropped, I was that shocked by his answer. He looked back at me, gauging my reaction, and then looked ahead and continued speaking. "I'm not an angel that was kept in the heavens, obviously, but was rather sent to the human world because I'm seen as a bane among the other angels. The reason being that I'm more powerful than others my age, and that I have telepathy. The rest of the angels cast me out, sending me here to live for eternity."

"I know what that's like…" I murmured, and Joshua looked at me strangely. "I mean being seen as a bane," I explained. "Back in my home world, the Dragon Realms, I was the first silver armored dragon to ever exist. My twin brother became the leader of our clan, while I became deputy, but I was still hated by everyone in my clan and the neighboring clans, except for my friends and family. I was never made an outcast, but I know that when I left to come here, everyone who hated me was glad to see me go. I had a hard life growing up…"

"Well, at least you're not the only one seen as a bane now," Joshua told me, seeming a bit brighter now.

"Yeah…" I mumbled. I hated bringing up my childhood and past; it wasn't something that I could look back upon and think, 'Well, I'm glad it happened.' No, I just can't. I accept it as part of me, but it's still hard to think about. I searched through my mind, trying to think of another question for Joshua. "So, if you're an angel, how come you went for Neku?" I asked.

"Because I was attracted to him when I saw him, and the scent of his heat drew me in," the silverette answered.

"But I thought only male dobutsu could be affected by the scent of another dobutsu in heat?" I said, confused.

"Not quite. As long as you have an animal part of you, you can be affected by the scent of another dobutsu's heat," Joshua corrected. I nodded to myself; it made sense, but I still wasn't happy about the effect that kiss had had on Neku. We walked on in silence for a few minutes, and then Joshua asked me, "So, Night, what drove you to come to the human world?"

I explained the story of how I got the series of dreams, chose to leave my old home, how I found Neku and his parents as they were killed, and how I took care of Neku as he grew up. Joshua looked saddened upon hearing about how Neku's parents were killed, and I noticed a couple of tears escape his eyes. Suddenly, it hit me; Joshua was really falling hard for Neku. When I finished the story, Joshua looked back at Neku, who had his eyes closed as he walked the now-familiar path to the springs, and sighed sadly.

"You've fallen for him hard, haven't you?" I asked Joshua quietly. His violet eyes widened in horror at what I had said, and he looked panicky.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah, it is," I chuckled. "It might take Neku a while to realize it, seeing as he's only ever had me as a friend and has never tried to get close to anyone, but I'm sure he'll come around. It'll just take a while. Also, don't try to force yourself on him; you'll only drive him further away." Joshua nodded, deciding to heed my advice. After that, we remained silent for the rest of the journey.

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Please read & review, peeps!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, chapter 3 be here now, and Joshua and Neku start to get a little bit closer in this one. Now, I know Neku seemed like he was ready to trust Joshua a little quickly, but think about it: he's in heat, and Joshua already kissed him, so he's already subconsciously attracted, but consciously, he doesn't realize it. Anyway, enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 3

We finally arrived at the springs where Joshua resided about a half an hour after the silence fell among us. When we arrived, I tapped Neku's wrist and he turned off his music and removed his headphones, looking around. I copied him, looking around the area, and Joshua began heading over to a large boulder covered in moss. We hadn't been to the springs in a while; at least, I hadn't, anyway. Obviously Neku had been here yesterday, and that didn't go over well.

"Over here," Joshua called, snapping me out of my thoughts, and Neku walked over to him with me perched on his shoulder still. We gave him confused looks, but they went away when he shoved a curtain of vines and moss aside that was close to the side of the boulder. He stepped through, and Neku and I followed close behind him. Once through, he covered the entrance again, and then led us further inside. The path was narrow, with just enough room for us to walk single file, and rock walls surrounded us on both sides.

Eventually, we entered a large, semi-open area that was filled with the midday sun's light. The area was surrounded by sheer rock walls, but there was a small creek that flowed along one side and made a small pool of crystal clear water near where we were standing. In the center, a giant, wide-trunked tree stood, tall and with long branches that covered the area well. Fruit grew from the tree, and, upon closer inspection, I realized the fruit was pears. The tree also had a large hollow in the trunk at the base, and inside was a makeshift bed, as well as some extra blankets. It was large enough for a few people, it seemed.

"What do you think?" Joshua asked. "This is where I've lived for the past few decades. I discovered this a few days after I was sent here." Neku gave him a confused look, and I nodded ever-so-slightly to Joshua, letting him know he could tell Neku the story.

Joshua relaxed visibly, and began to share his story with Neku. When he finished, Neku seemed to understand. At least, that's what his expression told me. I was sitting on a rock between Neku and Joshua, while the neko sat between Joshua and me. We were kinda in a triangle formation, so we were sitting next to each other.

Joshua had a saddened expression on his face once he was finished telling his story, and Neku seemed to be having an internal debate with himself. Suddenly, Neku did something I never expected him to do: he reached over and hugged Joshua comfortingly. The silverette tensed slightly, surprised, but quickly recovered and cautiously hugged Neku back. Surprisingly enough, Neku seemed to nuzzle in to Joshua's neck, almost as if he needed the comfort as well.

I noticed, after a few minutes, that the feathers on Joshua's wings seemed a bit ruffled, almost as though he was uncomfortable. Neku seemed to realize what he was doing at that moment, and pulled away, blushing and rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. His ears flattened against his skull, showing his discomfort.

I clapped my hands once and said, "How about we get something to eat?" I was trying to change the subject and succeeded; the atmosphere didn't feel as awkward as before. Neku jumped up at the mention of food, his ears perking up, and I heard his belly rumble out of hunger. He gave a small mew from the hunger pang, and I chuckled. "All right, let's get some fish." I got to my feet and began to walk away, but we soon noticed Joshua wasn't following.

"Joshua…? Are you coming with us?" Neku asked him. The silverette seemed surprised for a moment, and then got up, his feathers smoothing back down again as he relaxed. I let him walk past me and lead us out of his hidden home, and then away from the spring and towards the river. I suddenly got an idea, and I linked my mind with Neku's so I could share it with him.

'_Neku, let's lead Joshua to our secret portion of the river, but let's make it a chase with Joshua chasing us!'_ I thought to him. He grinned and nodded.

'_Yeah, I wanna run, anyway,'_ he agreed. So with that settled, Neku and I took off ahead of Joshua, leaving him behind, shocked. We started laughing as Neku and I dashed through the forest, Neku crossing over huge tree roots, and me bounding from tree trunk to tree trunk.

When Joshua heard us, I glanced back to see him smirk and then spread his wings to follow us. I laughed loudly in exhilaration with Neku, but our laughter cut off as Joshua flew past us. Neku and I glanced at each other knowingly; a challenge like this was not to be passed up. We increased our speed, swiftly catching up to Joshua, and then passed him easily.

We ran to our secret portion of the river, leading Joshua there and laughing the whole while. When we arrived, Neku slowed to a stop, his hair windblown and his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He was smiling brightly as Joshua landed on a rock at the edge of the river, folding his wings neatly against his back. I came to sudden stop, easily gripping my claws into a tree root and not launching myself forward like most would with their momentum.

"Where are we?" Joshua asked, looking perplexed.

"We're at a secret portion of the river that only Night and I know about," Neku answered. I noticed the orange-haired neko was steadily warming up to Joshua, but once the week ended, I hoped those feelings remained. The silverette's eyes widened in surprise.

"It's beautiful here…" he murmured in awe. He was right, too; this river had the clearest, cleanest water out of the rest of the forest, and this section of the river had the largest fish, too.

"Yeah, but we really only come here for the fish because it seems the biggest fish seem to prefer the water in this section of the river," I informed him. "You do know how to fish, right?"

"Kind of. I don't eat fish often. I'm more of a fruit person, not a fishing or hunting kind of person," Joshua replied. I shook my head shamefully; if Joshua wanted to be close with Neku, he would have to know how to fish and/or hunt.

"Well then, we're gonna have to teach you how to," Neku declared. He joined Joshua on the rock the silverette had landed on, and began to whisper to him, giving him instructions on how to catch a fish with his bare hand. Neku crouched down on the rock, and Joshua copied his actions.

I watched Neku's pale blue feline eyes focusing on the water, and after a few seconds, his right hand lashed out and snagged a fish with his claws. He yanked it out of the water and tossed onto the ground, where I made quick work of killing it and stringing it up on a low branch with some twine I had in my pack.

"Now to get my own," I said, and I crouched low on a rock that was shaded by the trees. I watched the water, waiting for a fish to come close enough, and as soon as a ripple appeared at the surface, my claws shot out, grabbing the fish and pulling it out, then killing it and stringing it up with the other.

"You ready to try, Josh?" Neku asked, but blushed when he realized he had called Joshua by a nickname. Joshua merely laughed.

"Of course, dear. I've got good reflexes," he giggled.

"Don't call me that!" Neku huffed. Joshua giggled again, and then focused those violet eyes of his on the water, and after a few minutes, he lashed out a pale hand and caught a fish. He swiftly tried pulling it out, but had to use both hands to grip the fish so it wouldn't literally slip away. I chuckled and took the fish from him, killing it and stringing it up with the other two.

"Nice job. You caught a fish bare handed," Neku praised shyly. Joshua gave a small smile in return, accepting the praise. I smiled softly to myself, no longer worried. Joshua and Neku would make a good couple, and Joshua would take good care of his future mate. Shaking my head slightly to clear it, I knew that it would take some time, so I needed to be patient.

I grabbed the string of plump fish we had caught, and let Joshua lead the way back to the springs. As we walked back, I noticed Neku walking alongside Joshua and chatting with him in a soft voice, one he used when he was nervous. I detected a hint of something in his tone, but couldn't quite place it. When I did, I realized that Neku was attracted to Joshua.

Smiling softly to myself again, I felt happiness wash over me; Neku needed someone in his life other than me, and that someone needed to be a lover. Especially seeing as Neku is a submissive dobutsu, meaning that he is the one that goes through heat and can bear young. In my opinion, Joshua would care for Neku very well, and already cared for him deeply, so in my mind, I was all for them being together.

When we got back to Joshua's hidden home, I made a small fire in the pit Joshua had made a while back. Exhaling my silver flames on it, it created a warm feeling that washed over all three of us. I unstrung the fish from the twine, skinned them, and speared them each with a stick, then handed one to Joshua, one to Neku, and I held on to the last one. We roasted our fish in silence, and when they were done, Neku dug into his happily. I laughed at the eagerness of the neko as he ate, and when he gave me an odd look, I explained.

"You're normally not this eager for fish, Neku," I chuckled. He merely shrugged and went back to eating. Joshua seemed a bit hesitant, but once I took a bite out of mine, he followed suit. Soon enough, he was wolfing his down. By the time we had finished eating, it was dusk, and I looked to Neku; the neko was lying on his back, looking content and full, and his tail lazily flicking back and forth at the tip. Joshua leaned back against the tree trunk, folding his hands behind his head and sighing deeply. I rested my head on my hands, about to close my eyes, when I saw Joshua sit back up and begin to stand. I raised my head again, about to ask him what he was doing, when he spoke.

"Getting the hollow ready for bed," he said. I nodded and approached Neku, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him out of his light doze.

"Neku, it's time to sleep. Let's get you into the hollow," I told him, and he nodded tiredly. I helped him to his feet and led him to the tree hollow, where Joshua was already sitting, waiting for Neku and me. Neku curled up on a blanket and fell right to sleep, and when I looked at Joshua, he shrugged as if to say, 'Whatever.'

"I'll sleep next to him," I said, and did as I said. I aligned myself along Neku's back and extended my right wing so that it covered Neku to keep him warm. He felt somewhat sticky and warm already, and I attributed that to his heat. I kept my wing covering him anyway, just to keep the neko comfortable.

As I faded into sleep, I heard Joshua's voice breathe, "I love you, Neku."

A/N: Okay, I know this seems like a short chapter, but they'll be longer from here on out, I promise! I just couldn't figure out how else to end this one, so I stuck with my first thought. Also, I got a really nasty flame last night from an anonymous reviewer, so even though I added this in the summary, NO FLAMING, PLEASE! It's rude, and that one was the first I've ever gotten, so it kinda hurt my feelings. My pride also suffered a bit as well. Anyhoo, R&R, peeps!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: *runs around in circles really fast* WEEEEEE! Chapter 4 is here! I'm so glad this fan fiction is turning out so well! It's my first Joshua-X-Neku fic, so…yeah! Also, in case you guys have any kind of questions, please feel free to ask! Anyway, enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 4

The next morning came around, and I was slowly awoken by the scent of something cooking. I felt Neku shift next to me, and his breathing quicken as he took several small sniffs of the air.

I folded my wing against my back and sat up, then stretched my whole body out, yawning widely. Upon feeling my back pop in about three different places, I groaned softly, and then turned to Neku once I was standing straight again. I gently shook his shoulder, waking him up.

"Neku…it's morning," I whispered to him. He simply grunted and shook me off, the tip of his tail twitching irritably. I sighed. "Neku, do you really want water on you first thing in the morning?" I threatened. He bolted upright at that, glaring heavily at me.

"You wouldn't dare," he hissed, his feline eyes narrowed dangerously at me.

"Well if you refused to get up, I would have," I said, grinning cheekily at him. He snorted, but stretched his body out in a cat-like manner anyway. Once he was standing, we walked out to see Joshua sitting by the fire, cooking something. As we got closer, I realized he was roasting deer meat. I licked my lips hungrily; I hadn't eaten deer in a while, seeing as Neku and I couldn't eat a whole one by ourselves, and we refused to waste meat.

"Morning!" Joshua greeted.

"Good morning," I yawned.

"Morning, Josh," Neku replied, blushing as he realized he had called Joshua by a nickname again. Joshua merely giggled in response.

"I decided to go hunting this morning, and caught a deer for us," the silverette told us as we sat down on either side of him, making a triangle formation again.

"Nice," I said. "We haven't had deer in a while, seeing as we can normally never finish an entire one, and we refuse to waste any meat."

"Understandable," Joshua agreed, and handed us each a hunk of meat once he pulled it off from roasting. I dug in, enjoying the tenderness of the meat, and noticed Neku hesitating.

"Something wrong, Neku?" I asked. He shook his head, snapping out of his daze, and looked at me.

"Nah, I'm fine," he assured me, but I could tell something was bothering him. I linked our minds for telepathy.

_Neku, I'm going to ask you again once we're alone,_ I thought to him. _And I want the truth then._

_Fine…_he mumbled back in his thoughts. He seemed almost anxious in his posture, and his muscles were tensed, almost as though he wanted to bolt. The tip of his tail flicked back and forth with his anxiety, so I knew whatever was bothering him was practically eating at him.

We ate in silence, and as we ate, I had a mental debate on how Neku and I could have a private conversation without Joshua in the vicinity. And I wanted to speak aloud, not with telepathy. Once we were done eating, though, Joshua stood, stretching his wings out to their full length. I could see now why Neku would be attracted to him; the feathers on Joshua's wings shimmered slightly in the morning sunlight, and reflected a little bit of the light as they shifted. The silverette lowered his wings and then spoke.

"I need to go out today and get some supplies from town," he told us. "Just a few things that will help get us through the next couple of weeks, and I should be back by dusk."

"Do you have enough money for the supplies you need?" I asked. He quirked a brow at me. "I'm only asking because Neku and I have extra if you need it," I sighed.

"No worries, I've got enough," he assured me, and then waved in farewell, spreading his wings again and taking flight in the direction of the nearest city. Once he was gone, I turned to Neku with a stern look.

"Now, what's bothering you so much?" I demanded. "And like I said earlier, I want the truth." He looked down, as if debating on what to say. A couple of minutes passed, but right as I was about to ask again, he spoke up.

"…I'm…confused…I guess you could say," he mumbled. I tilted my head sideways slightly, confused myself.

"What are you confused about?" I asked.

"This whole thing with Joshua…" he said softly. When I still had a perplexed expression, he sighed heavily. "What I mean by that is that I don't know what I'm gonna do. I called him 'Josh' twice already, hugged him yesterday out of comfort when you know I have a personal bubble I can't stand anyone being in but you, and I accepted his offer without even thinking about it yesterday. I don't know what's wrong with me!"

"Sounds to me like you're starting to fall for Joshua," I said after a short pause. His pale blue eyes widened in horror, and his ears flattened against his skull.

"That's impossible…" he whispered, looking like he was about to panic. "How can I, after what he did to me?!"

"Neku," I said soothingly. "I understand. Look, it may just be the heat, or maybe you really are falling for him, but we'll be able to tell once the week is over."

"But I don't understand what it is that I'm feeling!" he cried out, pulling at his hair in frustration. I gently pulled his hands out of his hair.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Whenever I'm around him, I feel…good…" he murmured. "When I hugged him yesterday, I felt warm and loved in a different way than it would be with family. I felt wanted." Tears started to form at the corners of his eyes, so I wrapped my left wing around him in comfort.

"Neku, it's not a bad thing if you really are starting to fall in love with him," I promised. "And by the sounds of it, you truly are. It's not the heat. And I swear to you, it's not a bad thing. I promise you, there are many other dobutsu pairs out there like that, where one goes through heat each season, and the other one is the dominant." He was silent for a bit, except for his sniffles. A few minutes passed like this, and then he leaned back against the tree trunk.

"Night…I don't know what to do…" he breathed. I felt awful, knowing there wasn't much I could do except comfort the neko.

"Just…follow your instincts," I advised. "Don't move too fast, and just spend time with Joshua. You'll soon know if he's the one for you. I promise."

"All right…I trust you…" he said quietly. We sat like that until dusk, when Joshua glided back in, a pack of supplies in his arms. Neku's ears twitched at Joshua's arrival, but otherwise he didn't look up. I waved in greeting as the silverette walked over, placing a small package in front of Neku.

"Here ya go, dear," the angel told the neko.

"Don't call me that…And what is it?" Neku said quietly, but then began sniffing furiously as though trying to detect something.

"It's fresh catnip," Joshua said, smirking. Neku's ears perked up at that, and he immediately grabbed at the package, mewing eagerly. His tail waved about in the air excitedly as he tore into it, grabbing a few leaves and eating them. I snickered, but it soon turned into full-blown laughter as Neku rolled around in the now-scattered leaves. Joshua giggled as he watched Neku, the angel's violet eyes sparkling with amusement.

After a while, I snatched up the leaves that Neku hadn't eaten yet and stuck them back into the package, tying it tight so he wouldn't be able to open it. Once I had hidden the remaining catnip in my pack and Neku had calmed down from his hype, the neko surprised Joshua and me both by sitting up suddenly and with what he said next.

"Josh…do you wanna go for a walk?" he asked softly. Joshua quickly recovered from his surprise so he could respond.

"Of course, dear. Anything you want," the silverette giggled.

"Don't call me that!" Neku huffed indignantly, but began to lead Joshua out of the hidden area we were in. Joshua followed him at an even pace, and I stayed behind, allowing them to go and talk in private. To kill time, I decided to fly out of the area and hunt for a bit. I was feeling kinda hungry, after all. About a half an hour into my small hunting session, in which I hadn't caught anything yet, I heard screams and yowling, followed by a blood-curdling screech. The blood in my veins ran cold at the familiar sounds.

"Neku," I breathed, and then began racing through the forest, following the sounds to the source. When I finally reached the source, I came upon Joshua, who was severely injured, and nearly passed out on the ground. He had huge claw marks and gashes along his torso and arms, and a bite mark from a large set of teeth on his left leg.

I yelped in shock and darted to his side, quickly summoning my light magic to me to heal him. I concentrated my power, and he soon coughed harshly as he began to come to, and his wounds healed. He hissed in pain as the wounds sealed themselves, leaving faint scars behind, but then started to struggle.

"Joshua, hold still! It's me, Night!" I ordered, and he froze. After I finished, he began to stagger to his feet, but I swiftly pinned him.

"Let me go, Night! Neku's been kidnapped!" he shrieked, and then it was my turn to freeze. I recovered quickly, and then demanded what had happened.

"Neku and I were just talking, and then a lion dobutsu suddenly attacked, grabbing Neku," he growled. "I tried to get him back, but that lion…he's fast and powerful. Neku tried to get away, but that dobutsu knocked him out. He left moments before you got here…"

"Joshua, don't worry," I said. "You did your best. What's important right now is rescuing Neku. Can you walk okay?"

"Y-yeah…" he said, and opened his wings. "But I'll fly because I'm faster that way."

"All right. Do you know which way he went?" I asked.

"He went north, in the direction of the cliffs," the angel answered. I nodded, and quickly sniffed out the familiar scent of Neku mixed with a stranger's scent before taking off, bolting through the forest and easily dodging trees, their roots, and the rocks. Joshua was right; this lion was fast. By the way his scent trail was already starting to fade, he must have already arrived at the cliffs.

As we raced through the forest, only one thought ran through my head: _Neku, please be okay…_

A/N: OH NOES! What will happen to our dearest Nekky?! Can you guess who the lion dobutsu is? First one to guess gets a huge batch of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies~! Anyway, read and review, my friends!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Yippee! Another post! Oh, and as for who gets the cookies, I decided I'll let everyone who guessed correctly have some! I'm posting really quickly here, but who cares? I love it! Remember that it's now nighttime in the story, by the way. Also, this chapter is gonna be…I dunno…kinda dark when they find Neku. For that reason,, I'm upping the rating to M, just in case. Sorry! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I won nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 5

Joshua and I raced through the moonlit forest, and soon arrived at the cliffs. I heard a faint scream echo around the rocky walls, and my whole body tensed. It would be nearly impossible for me to pinpoint the exact cavern the sound came from because of those damn echoes. Instead, I closed my eyes and focused on Neku's scent, pinpointing the location of the sounds. I could hear Joshua cursing under his breath as he waited on me.

My eyes snapped open once I found the trail, and I shot off like a bullet to the correct cavern. I scrabbled up the rocky cliff face as Joshua cautiously hovered behind me, and then I hauled myself into the right cavern. Once inside, I dashed ahead, Joshua running after me after folding his wings again.

"NEKU!" I shouted loudly as I ran.

"NEKU, WE'RE COMING!" Joshua yelled as well. The only response we got was a muffled shriek, but I still felt a feeling of dread wash over me. I pushed myself to run faster, Joshua keeping up easily, but I could still hear him panting a bit. When we finally saw light, we ran even faster, running into the chamber at the end of the tunnel. What I saw made me blind with rage.

Neku was nearly naked, his shirt off and his pants down, his underwear almost down as well, and he was bruised and scratched all over his torso. He had some blood on his face, and his eyes were wide out of sheer terror and agony. He even had a gag in his mouth and his hands were tied together. The neko was whimpering and crying because of the lion dobutsu who was getting ready to rape him.

This was really bad. If that lion dobutsu were to actually succeed in raping Neku, then they would have to be mates. I needed to stop this _now_.

The lion didn't even notice us enter, which was good, yet bad at the same time. It was good because we could get the jump on him, but bad because he was about to pull Neku's underwear down to rape him. I didn't recognize him, but he looked horrid enough; he had a black tail and ears, as well as grey hair and yellow predatory eyes.

"_GET AWAY FROM HIM!_" I all but roared as he grabbed Neku's underwear. Neku squeaked out of fear, and the lion looked at us, surprise on his face. I snarled viciously, my glare cold enough to possibly freeze hell itself. The lion smirked at us and straightened up, his claws glinting in the torchlight, and his eyes had a predatory gleam to them.

"Who are you two 000's?" he asked cockily.

"No one you'll know for long," Joshua snapped coldly. I snarled again, the sound vibrating through my chest, and I showed my full set of teeth.

"And I'm Sho. Not that you'll know me long yourselves, 000's," he grinned evilly. Without any sort of warning, I lunged, instantly making contact with his chest, and digging my claws into the flesh. He howled in pain, but managed to throw me off. I flew back at a rock wall, but flipped and kicked off the wall, putting all my power into my hind legs as I kicked off. I swiftly crunched my jaws onto his arm, tearing into the muscles there and covering my face with blood, and then pinned him as best as I could considering our size difference.

"Joshua! Help Neku, _NOW!_" I commanded as I struggled to keep Sho pinned. Joshua nodded quickly, and darted to Neku's side to untie him. Sho was about to bite me back as payback for my bite on him, but I blocked his jaws with my tail, the armor on my body protecting me from taking any damage. In retaliation, I shot a white-hot jet of silver flames into Sho's face, and he bellowed in agony as the flames scorched him alive.

As a quick way to ensure he wouldn't be able to get up, I gripped his legs with my hind claws and crushed the femur in each leg, and he roared in complete agony. I released him as he writhed on the ground, unable to stop us, and joined Joshua and Neku. When I got to them, Neku was holding on to Joshua tightly, sobbing uncontrollably and whimpering Joshua's name.

"Neku…?" I whispered, and gently reached out to touch him. He whimpered and recoiled out of fear, but when he realized it was me, he began to sob harder.

"Night, let's get him home," Joshua said quietly. I nodded silently in agreement, and Joshua carried Neku as we flew back to the springs. Eventually, as we flew, Neku's sobs quieted down to whimpers, and then he fell asleep. When we landed in the hollow hidden behind the springs, I helped Joshua lay the orange-haired neko down on the blankets in the tree hollow. Neku trembled slightly in his sleep as we laid him down, and then Joshua turned to me.

"You should probably wash that blood off of your face and claws, Night," he recommended. I nodded, and summoned an orb of water that I used to clean my face and claws off. Once finished, I evaporated the orb, turning it into steam, which dissipated quickly in the cool night air. Joshua stared at me, shocked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I've never seen anyone that can control multiple elements," he answered, sticking his hands in his pockets. "The most any of the angels can control is two. How can you control so many?"

"I was born capable of controlling all elements," I said. "In the clan I was born in, my twin brother and I were raised to learn how to master them all. And actually, my brother and I are descendants of one of the five creators of our world. He was the only one to control light and darkness, as well as the rest of the elements. The other four could only control one or two at most."

"Well, it's good that you have that kind of power," he said, seeming pleased about it. "Otherwise we may not have gotten to Neku in time…" He shuddered at the same time I did, and I knew we were both thinking about Neku's sake. I glanced at the neko, who whimpered in his sleep and started to reach out, almost as if searching for something…!

"Joshua, lie down next to Neku," I told him, and he stared at me as if I was stupid. I sighed in aggravation. "I mean as in to comfort him. He looks as though he's searching for something, and right now, he probably wouldn't appreciate feeling claws on his shoulder after that whole ordeal."

"Good point," the silverette agreed. He quietly walked into the hollow in the tree, and, after lying on his side so he could face Neku's back, he unfolded his left wing so he could carefully cover the neko with it. Once covered, Neku stopped trembling and shifted closer to Joshua. He rolled over in his sleep and snuggled into Joshua's chest, sighing with content. Joshua's violet eyes looked up at me, shining with happiness, and when I nodded to him, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, loosely wrapping his arms around Neku protectively.

"I hope Neku recovers from this soon…for his sake and Joshua's…" I whispered as I curled up on a branch above the tree hollow.

X*X*X*X

The next morning came much too soon for my liking, if the bright sunlight shining in my eyes was any indication. My eyes flickered open, soon coming into focus, and I yawned widely. After a few moments of trying to fully return to the waking world, I heard quiet crying from inside the tree hollow. As soon as I heard it, I jumped down from the branch I had slept on and hurried inside. I was greeted by the sight of Joshua holding Neku comfortingly in his arms as the neko wept.

"Neku?" I called gently, and his ears twitched in acknowledgment, but he remained in Joshua's arms. Joshua had his wings wrapped around Neku as well, as though to assure the neko he wouldn't be let go. I gently placed the end of my tail on Neku's shoulder to show I was here, and it seemed to help.

After a few more minutes, he stopped crying and looked up at Joshua, blushing furiously when he realized what he was doing, but calmed down when Joshua gave him a soft smile. Then Neku looked at me, and I could see he needed to be cleaned up. The poor neko's tear-stained face still had some dried blood spots, and he had a couple of small cuts and bruises on his face as well. I felt the image tug at my heartstrings as my gaze softened even more at my friend.

"Neku…are you…doing better?" I asked gently. He seemed to debate it for a moment.

"Somewhat…" he whispered, his voice hoarse from crying. I went over to him, deciding a bath in the springs would help him.

"Come on, Neku. Let's get you cleaned up," I told him, and he nodded slowly. Joshua removed his wings from Neku and folded them again.

"I'd best get some food, then, while you do that," Joshua said easily, and I nodded gratefully.

"Thanks Joshua," I told him, and he nodded back before leaving. Once the angel was gone, I turned back to Neku.

"Night…I'm scared…" Neku whimpered.

"What are you scared of, Neku?" I asked softly.

"I don't know about Joshua and me now…" he whispered. "I don't want to hurt his feelings after he saved me yesterday…And especially since he told me yesterday while on our walk that he loves me…I almost said it back when-"

"Neku, stop there, okay?" I said firmly, cutting him off. I didn't want him to relive the memory. "Look, what matters right now is that you just let Joshua in, and try not to relive the past, okay? Now, let's get you cleaned up, hm?" He nodded in agreement, and I led him out to the springs, where he undressed and quickly slid into the water, hissing at the stinging the water in his cuts caused.

I pulled out a cloth from my pack and gently started to wash him with it, being mindful of his sensitivity due to the pain. He ears flattened against his head when I had to wash his hair, but I was soon finished. I used my water magic to make some run down his body to rinse him off, and then I was done. I pulled out a clean set of his usual clothes out from my pack and a towel, and set them on a rock next to him.

"I'll turn around so you can dry off and get dressed, okay?" I told him softly. He nodded with his back still to me as he sat in the springs. I walked a little ways away and turned my back to him as he got dried and dressed. As he dressed, I kept my hearing strained for anything unusual and for any intruders.

"…I'm dressed…" Neku mumbled when he was done, and I turned back around to look him over.

"Good. Now, let's take care of your injuries, shall we?" I asked, and he nodded again. I placed my hand on his back and concentrated my light magic on the area. My hands glowed with light for a few seconds, and then his body was healed.

"Thank you, Night," Neku mumbled when I was finished.

"No problem, Neku," I told him with a soft smile. We went back into the hidden hollow, where Joshua was waiting for us, a few fish on sticks roasting in a fire. I sniffed the air, catching the delicious scent of the roasting fish in my nostrils.

"Thanks Joshua," I said gratefully. "That smells great."

"No problem," he assured me, and Neku sat next to Joshua while I sat on Neku's other side, and we began to eat. As we ate, I couldn't help but notice Neku was sitting closer to Joshua than he had before, and he seemed reasonably fine with it. I suddenly had a flashback to this morning, when Neku was in Joshua's arms, seeking comfort, and I thought to myself, _Neku never would have done that with anyone besides me. He's really starting to trust Joshua, and I'm happy for him._

A/N: I'm so glad Nekky is safe! And that Sho is dead~ That bastard needed to die, anyway. He's a creep, ain't he? Gah, I hate pi-face. Anyhoo, read and review, my friends! I may have the next chapter up tonight, or by tomorrow morning, depending on how busy I get, okay? Also, as for posting this weekend? Forget it. I'm going to the state fair this Saturday, and I won't be back home to my laptop until Sunday. I have to leave my laptop home when I go to see my parents, just so they won't know that I've been writing and posting against their rules. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Whoopee! Another update so soon! I hope you guys like this, 'cause I'm planning on having Neku and Joshua…yeah. *blushes* Soon, though! Remember, I said this would be an mpreg, and I'm sticking to that, okay? Anyway, this is a little time skip, just a few days after Neku was saved. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 6

X*X(A Few Days Later…)X*X

It had been a few days since Neku had almost been raped by Sho, who was now dead, thanks to me. He had been recovering nicely from his ordeal, and his heat was almost over, yet I noticed whenever the neko would try to get close to Joshua, the angel seemed to try and avoid Neku. I decided to confront Joshua about it that night once Neku went to sleep.

I caught fish that evening for our meal, and I slipped a few leaves of catnip into Neku's to help him sleep better. With that neko, he could sleep through anything if he had catnip in him. Once Neku had fallen asleep and I had placed him on a blanket in the hollow, covering him with another blanket, I fixed a hard gaze on Joshua.

"What's with you lately?" I demanded as he looked down. He knew what he was doing, so he couldn't play dumb. "Seriously, you've been avoiding Neku when he tries to get close to you. I told him to let you in as he recovers, but what do you do? You shut him out and avoid him. You have no idea how much that hurts for me to watch, let alone for him to feel. What's wrong?"

"…I don't want to hurt him anymore…" Joshua mumbled sadly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I snapped. "You're just hurting Neku by avoiding him the way you are, so knock it off!"

"What I mean is that I don't want to cause him any more confusion or hurt his feelings anymore…" the silverette answered.

"Well, with the way you're acting towards him, I'd be confused, too! And I would be hurt as well!" I growled, and then my gaze softened. "Look, he wants you in his life, and he obviously cares about you. I could tell as soon as I saw you holding him the way you were the morning after the incident. Neku never allows someone to touch them if he doesn't care for them, let alone hold them out of comfort. Also, he shared with me that you said you love him." Joshua's eyes widened in shock. "You still do, don't you?"

"Of course I do! I love him more than anything, but…" he trailed off.

"But what?"

"I don't want to cause him any more suffering."

"The only way you're doing that now is with your whole thing of 'avoiding him'," I snapped. "Just let him in the way he's trying to let you in, and I'm sure it will all work out." Joshua seemed to contemplate that for a bit, his expression thoughtful. "Ugh, just do it, would ya?" I growled, getting impatient. "It's the best thing for both of you. Trust me when I say that."

And with that, I left Joshua to his own devices as I scurried up the tree for a high branch to sleep on. As I fell asleep, I sent a silent prayer to my father in the spirit world that everything would work out in the end.

X*X*X*X

I woke the next morning feeling hopeful about Neku and Joshua's relationship. I truly hoped that Joshua would heed my advice by accepting Neku and letting him in. I would have to watch them carefully today.

I jumped down from my branch and landed gracefully on the ground with hardly a sound besides a light thud, and looked around. It was still early, so the other two weren't up yet. I peeked into the tree hollow, where I was pleasantly surprised by the sight of Joshua holding Neku as the pair slept. Neku had his face buried in Josh's chest, while the silverette had a wing covering the neko. I smiled softly at the sight, and sighed happily; I knew this was a step closer to them becoming mates. After all, Joshua had been sleeping on the opposite side of the tree hollow at night to avoid contact with Neku.

Mind you, I'm all for them becoming mates, and even more for Neku bearing young, but I was also hesitant about it. I just want Neku to be happy, whatever his choice may be. As long as my friend of 18 years now that I had raised from an infant wasn't hurt in the end, which was what mattered to me.

Turning away, I decided to let them sleep, and launched myself airborne to go hunting. As I flew, I couldn't help but think about how special this whole situation was. Neku, a neko, a very rare dobutsu, goes into heat, proving he's a bearing male, and meets Joshua, an angel, the only one I know of that's here, under unfortunate conditions. Given Neku's personality, I thought he would never fall for anyone, let alone someone who had kissed him without permission or whatnot.

Neku had almost always been an introvert, ever since he was about 6 years old. He tended to try and avoid talking to other dobutsu that we encountered, and if he had to, it would either be very quiet, or, if the other pushed him, very insulting. He also had a wide expanse of foul language, which he used on strangers if they gave him an excuse to. Neku could even be considered an enigma by people who didn't know him, but not me.

Another funny thing about my friend was that he didn't like it when others could tell what he was thinking or feeling. That had obviously changed with Joshua. Neku would also keep his mouth covered by his shirt's collar, so that way others had a hard time telling if he was smirking or frowning or something. (Imagine his normal clothes in the game.)

I barked a bit of laughter as I landed in a tree; Joshua had certainly changed Neku, and for the better. The neko wasn't nearly as introverted as before, and he listened to his music less. He still kept his headphones and music player, but just used them less often.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a snap of a branch below the branch I had perched in. Looking down, I was shocked to see a cougar, not a dobutsu, stalking after something on the ground below me. Following its line of sight, I spotted a deer that was relatively normal in size, but I decided to go for the cougar.

Silently, I crept down the trunk of the tree, and then, kicking off the trunk, I tackled the cougar, my claws digging into the thick fur and skin of the animal. The cougar screeched out of shock, but quickly recovered and tried to attack, but I swiftly lunged and sunk my fangs into the predator's throat, severing the jugular and killing it. Once it was dead, I picked it up and flew back to the hidden hollow with it.

When I arrived, Joshua and Neku were awake, and sitting by the fire pit, seeming anxious. They looked up when I landed with a thump from the cougar in my arms, their expressions ones of relief. I dropped the cougar on the ground with a thud, and was immediately grabbed by Neku, who pulled me into a tight hug. Startled, I yelped in surprise before looking at the neko, confused but smiling anyway.

"Wow, did you really miss me that much?" I asked, chuckling. He merely shrugged before squeezing me slightly again, and then let me down.

"Where were you?" Joshua asked. I pointed at the dead cougar.

"Does that answer your question?" I asked teasingly, and Joshua rolled his eyes. I smirked at him, but otherwise ignored the silverette as I began to skin the cougar and tear off decent-sized chunks of meat. As I pulled off a couple, I exhaled a steady stream of silver flames on them, cooking them completely. I handed one to Neku, who sat down and began to eat, and then one to Joshua, who hesitantly took it, and, after sniffing it cautiously, took a bite. I snickered at him, which earned me a confused look from the angel.

"You're acting like it's gonna bite you, which it won't," I explained. "Trust me, I wouldn't have killed it if it wasn't edible." The silverette just shrugged and took another bite of the meat.

We ate in peace and quiet, just soaking in the sounds of the forest in the morning. It was peaceful, and I relished in the feeling. I sighed once I had finished eating, feeling content, and closed my eyes in thought.

X*X*X*X

After a while, I heard voices as my consciousness struggled to return to me. Huh? When did I fall asleep? I mentally shrugged it off and opened my eyes when the voices stopped speaking, and instead heard quiet breaths for air.

The first thing that registered was that it was almost nighttime. The second thing that registered was that Neku and Joshua were kissing deeply, the neko in the angel's lap, and the silverette's wings covering the ginger. Neku's pale blue eyes were closed, as were Joshua's, and I could hear the deep, rumbling purr that resounded from Neku's chest. Eventually, they broke for air again and Joshua gasped when he noticed me watching.

Neku looked at Joshua in confusion, and then noticed me as well. When it finally registered for him, which took a few seconds, he yelped and fell out of Joshua's lap in shock. I couldn't help it; I busted out laughing. Neku's face was bright red as he scowled at the ground, while Joshua's was a light shade of pink. I sobered up after a minute, and finally spoke.

"Hey, don't worry about it, guys," I assured them as I tried to catch my breath. "I'm all for it, ya know. I'm just pleasantly surprised, is all."

"Why would you be surprised if you approve?" Neku asked, his face starting to return to its normal pale color. His head was tilted sideways slightly with his eyes wide and his ears pricked, making him seem all the more innocent.

"What I mean is that I didn't expect you two to kiss for at least maybe a few days to a week," I said. "I know you both have gotten closer, and I'm very happy about it, promise. Know that I'm all for you two being mates, okay?" Neku blushed furiously again at the word 'mates', as did Joshua, but his was a little lighter. Once they recovered, Joshua managed to respond.

"Thank you, Night," he said, kissing Neku on the cheek and causing the neko to blush even more.

"It's no big deal to me," I assured him. "Honestly, Neku needs someone like you in his life. He's changed a lot since you both met."

"What do you mean?" Neku asked, perplexed.

"You've opened up more, and started to rely on someone other than yourself or me, as well as let someone other than me into your life…" I trailed off, not needing to continue. The ginger's feline eyes widened when he realized I was right. He lowered his head, seeming ashamed, but when Joshua tilted his head back up with a finger to make him look into those violet eyes, Neku couldn't seem to resist; he kissed Joshua deeply.

Joshua seemed taken aback for a split second, but quickly recovered and kissed Neku back, smirking into the lip-lock. I smiled softly at the sight; it was wonderful to see them finally coming out with their loving feelings towards each other.

_I'm just glad this turned out so well,_ I thought to myself as I climbed into the tree and curled back up to sleep again.

A/N: DAAAAWWW! Joshua and Neku kissed, _finally!_ I finally had them kiss, which they needed to do sooner! But whatever, as long as they finally kissed, hehe. Okay, I won't be able to post again until Sunday, sorry! I'll be gone for the weekend, visiting my parents, and going to the state fair, but I will update again Sunday, I promise! Remember, R&R, peeps!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Whoopee! Another chapter! And another time skip, a bit longer this time, but who the hell cares? I certainly don't! Also, there's that promised event here! *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 7

X*X(3 Months Later)X*X

It had been 3 months since Joshua and Neku had kissed properly without it being forced, and they had been getting closer and closer with each passing day. I watched Neku blossom from an introverted, private individual to a kinder, and more open and loving person. Joshua had truly changed him for the better.

I remember that one night, about a month ago, they had decided to have a private evening, to which I kindly offered to leave them be for the night. They were both grateful, and the next morning, I came back around midday to find Neku tired but happy, and Joshua seeming happier than usual.

When I asked why they were so happy, they answered simultaneously. They were now mates. I was overjoyed, and knew that this would be the best thing ever for Neku. I was also very proud of the neko, seeing as he had completely recovered from the whole ordeal with Sho. The fact that Joshua and Neku had mated was proof of that.

It was a now about a month since they had become mates, and I noticed something was off with Neku. Whenever he and Joshua would start to kiss, the neko refused to go farther than kissing, and even then not too far into it. He also couldn't keep much food down, so he was getting sick almost every morning. This had been going on for a couple of weeks, too.

I had my suspicions about what it was, but I didn't want to come right out and say it, especially not with Joshua around. I got my opportunity to talk with my friend alone when Joshua had offered to go into town and get some thicker blankets for the impending winter, which was in a month. Neku hugged his mate and kissed him briefly in farewell, and then the angel left. Once he was out of sight, I turned to Neku.

"Can we talk?" I asked him. The neko seemed confused, but shrugged.

"Sure," he agreed easily, and we sat down inside the tree hollow. I didn't know how else to ask, so I just decided to come out and ask.

"Neku…are you pregnant?" I asked. His pale blue eyes widened in shock and horror, and his ears pinned themselves against his head.

"No way! I'm just feeling a bit sick is all," he said, shifting uneasily on the blanket he was sitting on.

"Neku, you know you can tell me the truth, right? We're best friends, after all. Please don't lie to me," I told him. His gaze dropped to the floor as he whimpered before tears started to flow from his eyes. "Neku!" I gasped, and quickly went over to him and held him close and comfortingly. "Neku, what's wrong?"

"I-I'm…p-pregnant!" he wailed, and I almost stiffened in surprise, but recovered in a split second, wrapping my wings around him. "My heat ended the morning after we mated!"

"Neku…it's okay, you know. It's fine, I promise. This was bound to happen eventually," I told him gently. He cried into my shoulder as I held him.

"I…I don't know what to tell…what to tell Joshua…" he whispered through his tears. My heart nearly bled at the pain in his voice. I just murmured soothing words in his ear, trying to calm him.

"You'll need to tell him soon, though, Neku," I advised. He whimpered again, obviously terrified.

"But…Night, I don't want to lose him…" he mumbled with a hiccup as he began to calm down.

"You won't, I promise," I assured him. "He knew what he was getting into when mating with a dobutsu that can go through heat. If he doesn't want you anymore, and I _HIGHLY_ doubt that'll happen, then I'll beat the shit out of him." The neko in my arms sniffled, but gave a weak chuckle nonetheless. "Look, just tell him when he gets back, okay? If you want, I can leave while you tell him. Or would you rather I stay?"

"Please stay," he rasped. "I need the support."

"All right, I'll stay when you decide to tell him," I said soothingly. "For now, let's get you some water. You sound thirsty." He nodded once, slowly, and began to stagger to his feet. He stumbled a bit once standing, but I caught him before he could hurt himself.

"Gah, I feel dizzy…" he muttered. Giving him a concerned look, I summoned an orb of water and pulled a stone cup out from my pack, making the water flow into the cup. I sat Neku back down and handed him the cup.

"Drink. I'm gonna have you rest for now," I said. "You're losing water, and you need to drink some to recover what you've lost. Especially since you're pregnant." He flinched slightly when I said 'pregnant', and I softened my gaze. "Neku, remember, it's not a bad thing, I promise. It's very good, for both you and Joshua. I'm sure that you'll both become closer as a result."

"…You promise a lot of things…" Neku finally murmured after a moment, cracking a small smile.

"You're right, I do," I laughed. "But have I ever broken them?"

"…No, you haven't…"

"Damn straight! Now, drink that water. I'm gonna have you drink 3 more cups of water, okay?" Neku nodded, and drank all the water I made him drink, and then he went to sleep, emotionally drained.

A few hours later, at around dusk, Joshua glided back in, landing with a soft _'whoosh'_ sound from his wings. I greeted him from within the tree hollow, waving my tail lazily. The angel walked over, setting down a stack of folded blankets by the opening to the tree hollow, and kneeled down next to Neku.

"How's he been today?" he asked me quietly.

"Okay, just tired," I answered easily, keeping the fact that Neku was pregnant hidden from him. Neku wanted to tell him, so I would let him. "I made him drink some water today, just to rehydrate him since he's been getting sick the past couple of weeks."

Joshua didn't say anything, and I wondered idly to myself if he actually suspected the truth. He merely ran his fingers gently through his neko's naturally spiky orange hair, his gaze gentle and loving.

Soon enough, those pale blue, feline eyes flickered open, and focused on Joshua. Neku smiled softly, a purr starting in his chest, and his eyes closed again in bliss as the silverette continued to stroke the neko's hair.

"How are you?" Joshua finally asked, breaking the quiet. Neku's purring quieted and then stopped altogether as he thought.

"Joshua…you love me, no matter what, right?" he said, his posture while lying down a bit stiff and nervous. The tip of his tail flicked back and forth anxiously.

"Of course, dear. Why do you ask?" Joshua answered, looking confused as to why Neku would ask him that. Neku wasn't even fazed by the nickname, which told me he was truly terrified of what might happen. One of his hands found mine, while the other casually went to cover his stomach, almost in a protective manner. The angel didn't notice, still looking into Neku's eyes lovingly.

"Because Josh…I-I'm…pregnant…" he whispered, the last word barely being heard. Joshua's hand stopped stroking his mate's hair, and his lavender eyes widened in shock.

All was still for a few minutes, and then Neku lowered his head, whimpering with tears in his eyes. Suddenly, he shot to his feet and bolted out of the tree hollow, running out of the hidden hollow and away from Joshua.

"NEKU!" I shouted after him, worried sick for my best friend. I whipped around, snarling, and glared frostily at Joshua. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I screeched at him. "He trusted you, loved you, everything, and you just broke that trust! Now he's hurt more than I can even imagine! He probably thinks you think he's a freak! How could you?!" Finally, Joshua stopped me.

"I was just shocked, that's all!" he yelled back at me. "I didn't know what to say, I was that stunned! I know I fucked up, and now I need to fix this! Please help me find him…" The last part was whispered, and my glare ceased at his words. I rolled my eyes, not that he could tell, and smacked him over the head with my tail.

"I'll help you find him, but as for getting him to listen to you, you're on your own, pal," I growled. "If this ever happens again, I swear to god I will fuck you up. Now come on."

I stormed out of the hollow, leading Joshua to Neku. I sniffed the air once away from the strong scents of the springs, and caught wind of his trail. As we began to catch up, I could hear the loud sobs and cries of Neku as he broke down. Eventually, we reached him, and I think my heart bled and shattered at the sight.

Neku was curled into the fetal position on his left side, his right hand curled around his stomach and fisted into the material of his shirt, and his other hand clenched into a tight fist by his head. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, the tears that flowed out of them unceasing. His ears were flat against his skull, and his tail was curled around his body closely. He wailed once out of misery, and I heard him whimper, "I'm just a freak…"

"Neku…" I called gently to him, and cautiously approached. His whole body stiffened at my voice, and a second later, he cried even harder. I approached him carefully, not wanting to startle him, and when I reached him, I placed a hand on his shoulder. He curled into himself even tighter, and sobbed. The whole scene just broke my heart. Looking back, I glared pointedly at Joshua, who was standing a little ways away. He took the hint and began to walk over slowly, trying not to scare Neku.

"Neku…Joshua is here…and he wants to explain," I whispered in his ear. Neku froze at that, and immediately began to struggle, trying to get up. I was swift to stop him from running, holding him against the tree. "Neku, he wants to explain. Just give him a chance, okay?" He lowered his head in surrender, knowing I could easily catch him if he tried to run again, and I released him. Joshua reached us then, and tilted Neku's head up with a finger, forcing the neko to look at him.

"Neku…I'm sorry…I'm really, truly sorry…" the silverette whispered to his neko. "I was just so surprised that I couldn't think straight. Please, I love you…Please forgive me…" The ginger's eyes widened in shock at the confession.

"You…you don't…hate me…? You don't…think I'm a…freak?" Neku asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course not, dear," the angel promised.

"Don't call me that…" Neku growled.

"Whatever you say, dear," Joshua giggled.

"Just shut up and kiss me," Neku snapped, cracking a small smile. Joshua smirked and did as he was told, swiftly diving in for a kiss and making Neku gasp at the suddenness. I smiled softly at the sight; it made me happy for Neku, and even for Joshua, even though this wouldn't have happened if Joshua hadn't reacted so slowly. When they pulled apart for air, Joshua smirked at Neku while the neko looked into his mate's eyes, content.

"You're happy about the baby, right?" Neku asked.

"Of course, dear," Joshua giggled.

"Don't call me that!"

"But it suits you, _dear_."

"Um, guys?" I said. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get home." The pair looked at me as though just realizing I was there, and then Joshua chuckled.

"Good point. Let's go home, _dear_," he agreed, and I led the way back to the springs. Neku grumbled a bit on the way back about the nickname, but was soon silenced when he was kissed by his mate.

When we got home and the mated pair was settled in for the night in the tree hollow, and I had curled up on a branch high from the ground, I thought to myself, _It could have gone better, but at least things will be okay now…_

A/N: WHEEEEEEE! Neku's pregnant! It's finally official! I'm sorry about the drama, but I needed some filler. Also, anyone have ideas about the name for the baby? I'm not sure where to go with it, so if anyone has any ideas, let me know, okay? Let me know in your reviews! Read & Review, peeps!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Okay, I'm soooo sorry about the late update, but I wasn't home this weekend, and it'll be the same thing next weekend…Only longer! *sobs* Anyhoo, I'm thinking it'll be about two or three more chapters, including this one, until I'm finished, depending on how much I can write in a single chapter. Another time skip, but just a couple of months rather than three. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 8

X*X(2 Months Later)X*X

It had been a couple of months since Neku had told Joshua he was pregnant and they had made up after that whole misunderstanding, and everything was peaceful for the three off us…sort of. As Neku's stomach had grown with the passing days, he had started to crave different foods. Joshua would have to go into town at least once or twice a week just to satisfy them, and I would hunt whenever the pregnant neko craved something that involved meat or fruit. Sometimes, though, Neku's cravings became almost unbearable.

"JOSHUA!" I winced at the tone my best friend used as he yelled for his mate. Joshua had left to get some more catnip for his neko in town, and I had to stay with Neku until the angel returned.

Hesitantly, I made my way to Neku, hoping he wouldn't lash out at me for the fact that Joshua had gone to get more catnip. His mood swings were becoming the worst, and seeing as I had never dealt with a pregnant dobutsu before, I wasn't quite sure how to handle Neku's rapid changes in mood. Thankfully, I knew how to help him deliver, which was handy.

I had learned back in the Dragon Realms how to deliver when the members of Diamond Clan taught my brother how to, per his request. Basically, when they had some cows that were giving birth, they showed us how to help deliver. I knew this would be different, but not too much so as to where I wouldn't know what I was doing.

Anyway, even out of fear of facing Neku's wrath, I still went into the tree hollow, where Neku was sitting up, glaring off to the side, his posture tense. I approached him as normally as I could make it look, catching his attention.

"Neku? What's wrong?" I asked. He looked up at me, and sighed grumpily.

"Where the hell did Joshua run off to now?" he demanded instead of answering. I sighed to myself; I should've seen this one coming.

"He's off in town, getting you more catnip," I told him, and he visibly relaxed. My relief was short-lived, however, when Neku looked worried, almost as if he were about to cry. I placed a hand on his shoulder, genuinely concerned.

"What is it, Neku?" I asked gently. He was biting his lip, a habit he had developed whenever he was worried after telling Joshua he was pregnant.

"I…" he hesitated, glancing at me nervously. I gave him an encouraging look, nodding my head slowly to assure him he could tell me. "Do you…do you think Josh might leave me, Night?" I stiffened in surprise, but that was obviously the wrong move, for Neku started crying. "I knew it!" he wailed as I recovered.

"Neku, stop this!" I said sternly, holding him firmly by the shoulders. He looked at me, tears still running down his face, and sniffled. "Do you honestly believe Joshua would _ever_ leave you?" The neko didn't respond, but I continued. "He loves you too much to even consider leaving you, Neku! Why on earth would you think that in the first place?"

"B-because…he's always going into town, and I overheard him talking to someone the other night…" the ginger whispered, starting to cry again.

I was surprised by his words. Not the "going into town" part, but the "overhearing him talking to someone" part. Normally, we all go to bed at the same time and Joshua always holds Neku in his arms while sleeping in the tree hollow. So basically, this part was news to me. And the fact that Joshua had slipped past me without waking me? Odd as well, seeing as I'm not exactly a heavy sleeper. I can usually detect sounds that sound out of place while sleeping, and when I do, it wakes me up.

"Neku? Did you recognize the voice?" I asked. "Or did you see who it was?" He shook his head, answering no to both of my questions. "Did Josh at least mention a name?" He paused for a moment, and then looked up at me, his eyes puffy and red.

"Yeah…He said the name 'Sanae'," he whispered through his tears, and began to calm down, exhausted from the emotional drainage. Once Neku was asleep, I tucked him under the blankets, keeping him warm from the chill outside, and began pacing in front of the tree hollow, agitated.

I never paced unless I was highly agitated, upset, truly bothered by something, or deeply thinking. I was the first three of those four. Agitated from Joshua's actions, upset by the same thing, and I was truly bothered by the same reason. My tail flicked back and forth irritably. Why would Joshua speak with someone behind our backs, and not mention it?

The sudden slight whoosh of air and flutter of wings startled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see Joshua landing in the center of the hollow. I glared heavily at him as he looked at me, and his expression immediately turned to one of confused panic.

"Night…?" he said questioningly, fear lacing his tone. "What's wrong?"

"What were you doing the other night?" I growled rather than answer him. He seemed perplexed by my question, but also nervous, as though he were about to be discovered.

"I was sleeping, Night. What else could I have been doing?" he answered.

"Oh, I dunno. How about…talking to someone called 'Sanae' during the night while we slept!" I snapped, and the angel's lavender eyes widened in realization.

"You…heard that?" he asked.

"No, Neku did, and he only heard you talking to this 'Sanae', and now he thinks that you're gonna leave him!" I growled. Joshua hung his head in shame.

"I'm not leaving him…" the silverette whispered. "Sanae is just an old friend of mine here. I was just speaking to him for advice on Neku's pregnancy…"

"Seriously?" I said, my tone doubtful. He nodded, his face hidden behind his hair. "Well, if that's the case, you'll need to explain this to Neku, and maybe bring Sanae here to meet him and prove your point."

"Do you think he'll really forgive me?" Joshua asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, he will. He just needs to meet Sanae, and that should help clear it up," I answered. Joshua nodded, and began to take off after placing a small package by me.

"I'm gonna find Sanae, but in the meantime, here's the catnip I bought today," he said, and then flew off, his white wings beating powerfully. I sighed to myself; Joshua was sometimes so stupid. I mean, if he had just told Neku about Sanae in the first place, we wouldn't be in this little mess right now. Now to wait until Josh returned.

X*X*X*X

I jerked my head up at the sound of footsteps and voices approaching, but relaxed when I recognized Joshua's voice. I didn't recognize the other voice, so I assumed it was Sanae. Sure enough, Joshua soon walked through the entrance to the hollow, leading an older, taller dobutsu with him. This one was a panther dobutsu.

He stood near the outer rim of the hollow, wearing a casual, dark, short-sleeved suit, and had a pair of sunglasses over his face, almost completely covering his brown, feline eyes. He ruffled his dark hair, watching me and revealing his dark panther ears. His matching tail flicked back and forth at the tip as he leaned against the rock wall of the hollow.

"So…this is Night?" he asked, seeming genuinely curious.

"Yes, I'm Night," I said indignantly, and he looked surprised. "No need to talk about me as if I can't speak, ya know."

"Sorry, I've just never met a dragon before," he said, scratching the back of his head, embarrassed.

"Eh, it's nothing new to me, I guess," I shrugged, calm again. "After all, I'm the only dragon I know that came here from the Dragon Realms, my old home. The fact that I'm the only silver armored one there means basically nothing here, since I'm the only dragon anyway. I guess I'm kinda used to being gawked at, even if dragons really are believed in here." Sanae stared at me for a moment, and then looked to Joshua.

"So, where's your neko?" he asked the angel, who looked to me for the answer.

"He's still sleeping in the tree hollow. He was pretty upset when he thought you were leaving him," I replied. Joshua sighed, looking miserable, but then Sanae clapped him on the back.

"Better get him out here," the panther told him. Joshua nodded and sighed again, going to the tree hollow while I stood nearby, watching. The silverette placed a hand on Neku's shoulder and gently shook him, waking the neko. Neku whimpered and pinned his ears back, protesting being woken at all, until he recognized the touch. He immediately curled in on himself, upset.

"Neku, I'm sorry I had to wake you, but-" Neku cut him off before his mate could finish.

"You're leaving me, aren't you?" he whispered, heartbreaking pain in his voice. Joshua's gaze saddened, but he still managed to reply.

"No, dear, of course not," he assured the ginger. "Actually, I have someone I want you to meet." Neku's head rose slightly, and his eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"You…you're not leaving me…?" Neku breathed, hope in his shimmering eyes.

"I would never leave you, Neku," the angel promised. Neku immediately reached out and hugged his mate tightly, sniffling into his shoulder, his eyes clenched shut.

"I'm sorry…but I heard you talking to someone called 'Sanae' the other night, and…" he trailed off, but Joshua didn't need him to continue. He held Neku closer, soundlessly promising he would never even consider it. I smiled softly at the scene, and then Neku noticed Sanae.

"Who is that?" he asked warily. I understood his nervousness, considering the past couple of times he's met someone new, it didn't end well during the first meeting. Josh looked at Neku.

"That, dear, is Sanae Hanekoma, a friend of mine," the angel answered, squeezing Neku a bit to let him know it was okay before letting him go. Neku nodded, still wary, but a bit more relaxed.

"Nice to meet you, Neku," Sanae said to the neko, stepping forward slowly and cautiously so as not to scare him. "Call me Mr. H."

Neku watched him for a moment more, and then grasped Josh's hand as he stood up and got out of the tree hollow. I noticed that his shirt was riding up a bit on his front, and realized it was because he was showing. His pregnancy had started about 3 months ago, but I hadn't noticed he was showing until now. By the size of his swollen stomach, I figured he had about another couple of months or so to go until he delivered.

Neku held out his free hand timidly for Sanae to shake, and the pair firmly shook hands. "Nice to meet you, too, Mr. H," Neku mumbled, still nervous as ever. When they stopped shaking hands, Neku placed that same hand on his swollen stomach protectively. Sanae sighed.

"Look, boss, I'm not gonna do anything to you, I promise," the panther assured Neku with a friendly smile, revealing slightly sharper canines than Neku had. "I'm strictly friends with J, and he's only been speaking to me because he wants advice on your pregnancy and what to watch out for and whatnot. Just trust me, okay?"

"How do you two know each other, anyway?" I asked before Neku could reply.

"I met Sanae when I was banished here from heaven, and he helped me to survive," Joshua answered. "I didn't know how to survive on my own, and Sanae taught me and showed me the best places to hunt, fish, and find shelter at for the night. It was about a year after I met him that I found this place and left Sanae to live on my own. I met you both two years later."

I was quite surprised by this; even though Joshua was an angel, he had to be taught by a dobutsu how to survive out here in a forest. I had assumed that he already knew how to survive. Neku broke the silence.

"I guess I should say thank you, then," he said to Sanae with a small smile. Sanae simply waved a hand dismissively.

"It's nothing. I teach a lot of newbies to forest life how to survive out here," he assured the neko. "After all, everyone deserves a chance at life, right?"

"Right," Neku agreed. We sat and talked for the rest of the day, eventually talking while eating some fruit that evening around the fire. When we stopped talking, it was to say farewell to Sanae and go to sleep. As I curled up just outside the tree hollow on a blanket, I listened to Joshua and Neku talk before they, too, went to sleep.

"So, do you trust me now?" Joshua asked his neko sleepily as he shuffled a bit.

"Yeah," Neku sighed tiredly. "Now that I know you won't ever leave me nor do anything to hurt me…" He trailed off as he fell asleep, his breathing becoming deep and even. I sighed happily as I fell asleep, too; Neku and Joshua were going to be fine now.

A/N: FINALLY! *flops over on desk* Geez, that took freaking FOREVER! I'm sooooo sorry it took me this long to update, but at least the next chappy is posted! Read & review, peeps!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here's to another chapter! This is the birth chapter, just a heads up! I finally came up with a baby gender and name, so I hope you guys like it! Also, this is the last chapter before the epilogue. I'm doing it similar to "Neko Love", my AkuRoku fan fiction that's similar to this in the general idea. This is, again, another time skip, and the epilogue will be as well, but a much larger time skip. Anyway, enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Night.

A Neko's Angel

Chapter 9

X*X(1 ½ Months Later)X*X

About a month and a half had passed since Neku and I had been introduced to Sanae Hanekoma, and since then, the panther had visited at least once every week to check on Neku's progress. The neko's stomach had grown a bit bigger with each passing day, and it seemed like he was going to give birth any day now.

Sanae had begun staying in a cave nearby after his most recent visit about three says ago, stating that he wanted to make sure he was nearby when Neku was to deliver. He apparently had helped other male dobutsu in the past when they were in labor, so I readily accepted his offer.

Meanwhile, Joshua was fretting over Neku each and every stinking day, and it was driving both Neku and I up the fucking wall. I mean, we both knew he worried about his mate, but this was ridiculous! Neku was not a kitten anymore, so he didn't need to be babied like one. The angel's worrying eventually made Neku snap at him with his mood swings in full force, and he ended up leaving his neko be after getting several scratches on his arms and torso. I had laughed but healed the silverette anyway.

Neku seemed to become tired a lot more easily now, but that was understandable. He had at least 6 to 8 pounds of weight in his stomach area from the baby that he had to carry around whenever he moved, so it wore him down. Joshua would kindly rest with his neko whenever he napped to sleep off his physical exhaustion, even if it was in the middle of the day.

Even though they had had quite a few bad things happen for their relationship, it was amazing how close they had remained despite all of that. It was just amazing in the first place how Neku had even considered staying with Joshua during his first heat, seeing as their first meeting hadn't exactly been a pleasant one.

The fact that Joshua had sent Neku into a confused mindset about himself had made me think he would withdraw into himself even more, but the result was quite the opposite. Rather than becoming even more introverted, Neku had chosen to give Josh a chance and the outcome was the best that could've happened for all of us.

"Night, wake up," a voice hissed in my ear. The owner of the voice shook my shoulder as well, waking me from my light slumber, and I opened my eyes groggily. Once my vision focused, I realized Joshua was crouched before me, his violet eyes wide with panic and worry.

"Josh? What's up?" I asked, yawning.

"It's Neku, his stomach is hurting, I think he's in labor," the angel told me, and I froze mid-yawn. _Seriously?!_ I thought to myself. _Why the hell not…_

"Josh, don't panic, all right? Just go and get Sanae, and I'll help Neku," I ordered in a calm voice. Joshua nodded, and quickly flew over the rock wall of the hollow and then took off running to the cave Sanae was at to fetch him. As soon as he was gone, I darted into the tree hollow, the light dusting of snow swirling around my feet.

That's right, it snowed a bit during the past few weeks, and now it was colder, so we'd had to get a lot of blankets to keep us all warm. I had resorted to making a nest right outside the tree hollow so I could keep close, and just kept a thick blanket in it for me to burrow under when it was this cold.

I hissed quietly at the cold feeling of the snow on my feet, but stopped the instant I heard Neku's cry of pain. Worried, I carefully made my way to his side, gently placing a hand on his shoulder to alert him of my presence. He whimpered with his ears pinned back against his head, and his tail twitching in pain. I quietly murmured soothing sounds to him, calming him enough to relax slightly, but then another contraction ripped through him, tearing a strangled scream from his throat.

"Neku!" Joshua's voice rang out in the hollow.

Sanae and Joshua came running over, the angel's eyes horrified at the sound of agony that came from his love. Sanae, however, was checking Neku over, making sure he wasn't having any trouble with his labor, and then nodded to himself when he had finished.

"Seems like he'll have a safe birth," the panther told me, and then added in a more serious voice, "Do you think you can handle this on your own?"

"Y-yeah, but…why?" I said, my eyes wide and uncertain.

"Because I wanna keep J away during the labor, otherwise he'll do something drastic," Sanae answered. I nodded in understanding, and he walked over to Josh, letting him know Neku would be okay with me taking care of him. The silverette nodded slowly, looking distraught with his worry for Neku, and allowed himself to be led away outside of the hollow to wait by the springs.

My attention was brought back to the matter at hand as Neku cried out again, and I set to work. I grabbed about five more blankets, placing one over Neku to keep him warm, and than grabbed his hand in support. Now all that was left to do was wait until the contractions became stronger, and then the real work would begin.

Neku's hand gripped mine tightly, and I pulled a cloth out from my pack to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Despite the cold, he was burning up, but there wasn't anything I could do except wipe the sweat off to keep it out of his eyes. He whimpered from the pain, tears starting to come out from the corners of his eyes, when he opened them suddenly and screamed from sudden pain. Those pale blue, feline eyes of his were unseeing from the agony, and I knew that it was time for him to start pushing.

"Neku, it's time to start pushing," I told him, and he whimpered, but nodded nonetheless. When he did, I released his hand, and he tightly gripped the blanket covering him in place of my hand. I checked him over as I moved down, and once I spread his legs, he cried out again.

"Neku, it's okay, I promise," I soothed, and he nodded again, trying to relax. Finally, the moment of truth came. Reaching over and squeezing Neku's hand briefly, I said, "All right, Neku, push!"

He screamed with the first few pushes, tears flowing from his eyes as the pain got worse with each push. Pushing for the eighth time, he screamed the loudest he had yet, and then I snatched up a blanket as the baby came out with that last push. I was able to wrap up the newborn quickly after severing the umbilical cord with my claws, and gently cleaned it off. Once clean, I checked the gender, discovering the baby was a healthy little boy. I wrapped him up in a clean blanket before turning to my best friend.

Neku was panting from exertion, but he smiled softly nonetheless when I walked over to him with his baby. Carefully, I placed the newborn in his arms, a warm smile of my own coming across my face as I watched them for a moment. I turned away from Neku when I remembered Joshua and Sanae.

"I'm gonna get Josh and Sanae, okay?" I said quietly, and then bolted out to the springs to fetch the aforementioned pair. They were waiting by the frozen water, Josh pacing back and forth with his wings looking ruffled from anxiety, and Sanae leaning against a tree trunk, his tail flicking back and forth, revealing his own worry for Neku. They looked up quickly as I crashed through the entrance, smiling happily, and they visibly relaxed.

"They're waiting for you," I said softly, looking straight at Joshua. The angel froze his lavender eyes shining with joy, and quickly followed me as I led both of them back to the tree hollow. Once inside the hollow, Sanae passed Joshua so he could look over the newborn, and nodded his approval to me.

"You did good, Night," he praised. "Kid looks perfectly healthy. Great job." He then sighed and added, "I better get going. It's already almost dawn, and I need some sleep. Besides, it seems to me that this little family will want some bonding time, anyway. I'll be back in a couple of days to check on you guys, though. See ya." And with that, the panther waved in farewell, congratulating Josh quietly before leaving.

Joshua hesitantly made his way to Neku, but relaxed when I nodded in reassurance to him, and I followed. We crouched on either side of Neku, gazing in wonder at the tiny infant in the ginger's arms.

He was pale-skinned with rosy cheeks, having gained the same pale skin as his parents. He had cat ears like Neku's, but instead of just orange, they had some flecks of silver in them, as did his small tail that poked out from the bottom of the blanket. His big eyes squeezed shut for a moment, before opening and looking at us with genuine curiosity. They were very unique, that's for sure; his left eye was the exact same shade of violet as Joshua's, while the right one was the same pale blue as Neku's. They were both feline-like in appearance, too.

He had fuzzy hair that was unique as well, being a mix of Joshua's and Neku's. It was a very pale orange, obviously a mix of the two colors, but as for style, that would come when he gets older. Suddenly, he started to squirm a bit as though he was uncomfortable. Curious about a certain thought I suddenly got, I carefully lowered the blanket from his small body, exposing his back, as well as a little pair of silvery, feathered wings. They stretched out, wrapping around himself before I pulled the blanket back up to keep him warm.

Joshua and Neku gasped at the sight of the wings; they certainly hadn't expected that one. They looked at me with faces that clearly read, 'How the hell did you know that?'

"From the way he was squirming, it reminded me of the way newborn dragons are when they're wrapped up in a blanket the wrong way," I replied to their unspoken question. "By the way, what are you gonna name him?" They looked at each other for a moment before looking back at me and answering.

"Shuko," they said in unison. I blinked, surprised by how they answered, and then chuckled.

"Did you two talk about names at one point?" I asked teasingly, and they nodded, smiling at each other, then at Shuko. The tiny winged neko soon fell asleep, making a tiny purring sound as he slept, and we all three smiled at each other with sheer joy written on our faces.

After a while, Joshua wrapped his arms around Neku and Shuko as the new parents went to sleep together with their baby. I went to sleep as well, curling up in my nest and crawling under the blanket to keep warm. And when I finally drifted off, I dreamt.

X*X(Night's Dream)X*X

_My eyes were closed as I heard vaguely familiar voices drifting into my ears. As my eyes flickered open, I realized I wasn't in the hollow with Neku and Joshua. Instead, I was in a misty forest that reminded me of where my father's spirit rested. I sat up, looking around for the source of the voices when I spotted them: Neku's parents. They looked exactly the same as before they were killed._

_Neku's mother had a slender figure, as normal as any other woman out there, with the exception of her ears and tail. Her ears were cat ones, but she had the fluffy tail of a kitsune—a fox dobutsu. Her long, slightly wavy hair was a reddish gold color, and her blue eyes shone at the sight of me._

_As for Neku's father, he was pure neko, through and through. His red hair spiked up a bit, showing similarity to Neku's. Pale blue feline eyes watched me as his red cat ears perked and his tail waved happily. He had a muscular body, but not overly muscular, showing Neku had gotten a mix of his parents' genes, but he was still primarily a neko. Scrabbling to my feet, I relaxed when they smiled gratefully at me._

"_Night, we never got to thank you before for taking Neku in and caring for him all these years," his mother told me._

"_Shukitsa is right," his father agreed. "You took him in and raised him as if he were your own son, not just part of what destiny threw at you, even though destiny guided you here to him in the first place."_

"_I did what I felt was right, but you're also right in saying that I raised him like he was my own," I replied. "To me, Neku is more my family than anyone else I know back in my old home, and that's because we understand each other. I'm also not judged here, compared to my old home." Shukitsa and her mate looked at each other, seeming pleased._

"_The reason Shoko and I wanted to see you, Night, was because we wanted to thank you for everything you've done," Shukitsa explained._

"_Exactly. We've been watching you and Neku throughout his life since our deaths, and now we feel we're ready to finally move on," Shoko added._

"_Neku is truly happy, seeing as he now has a mate and a child, and he has you, you parental figure and best friend, to see him through the rest of his life," Shukitsa remarked. "We've watched you both go through the hardships of his life, but now the storm is clear for good, and the rest is smooth sailing from here on out."_

"_Thank you," they said in unison, and began to fade. I watched sadly as they faded, the last part of them remaining before they vanished being their spirits. I knew it was for the best, but it still made me sad. Once they were completely gone, the dream world faded from me, and I returned to the waking world._

X*X*X*X

I woke up later in the day, and smiled sadly to myself. I knew my dream was real; I had no doubts about it. Shukitsa and Shoko would have made better parents for Neku than I had, if they had lived, but there was no changing the past. Besides, I didn't regret anything in my life I had done, especially raising Neku. My expression soon changed from sad to a more positive one and I decided to focus on looking to the future, and never looking back. This was my life, and I would never look back.

A/N: Sooooo? Did you guys like the chapter? And what did you guys think of little Shuko? I certainly hope so, 'cause I REFUSE to rewrite this sucker. I never rewrite my stories if I can help it. Besides, it's too much work, hehe. Anyhoo, R&R, peeps!


	10. Epilogue

A/N: *sniffles* Man, this is the last chapter…It makes me wanna cry, but it's been so good, and I have to end it eventually…I hope you guys truly liked the story, cuz I loved writing it! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story, Night, and Shuko.

A Neko's Angel

Epilogue

X*X(13 Years Later)X*X

13 years had passed since Shuko had been born, and he had grown a lot over the years. Not just physically, but mentally, too. He was a very clever and perceptive boy, always able to tell when something was wrong. Shuko was close with both Joshua and Neku, but he seemed closest to me for some reason. He would confide in me if something was bothering him, and always wanted to talk to me.

As far as his looks, though, he was quite a heartbreaker there. His pale orange hair had naturally spiked up a bit in the front, flowing down in the back with some natural curls here and there that he had inherited from Joshua. He also had gained Neku's fringe as his bangs. His cat ears had grown in proportion to the rest of him, and gained more flecks of silver as he grew older, as did his tail.

His eyes were usually calm, showing his quiet demeanor, but sometimes sparkled with mischief like Joshua's did when he wanted to tease Neku. Shuko's skin remained pale, no matter how much time he spent out in the sun. As for his wings, they had grown greatly, and since he was almost the same height as his parents, his wings were almost fully developed. Joshua sometimes took him out to teach him how to fly, while Neku and I watched or just stayed at home.

Occasionally, Sanae would visit, and typically brought something for Shuko to play with, be it a ball of yarn that he would willingly share with Neku, or even just fresh catnip. It seemed the young winged neko had gained more traits in personality from his "mother", though, because he acted a lot like Neku did before we met Josh. Not only that, but he also had more cat-like instincts than he would have if he had taken after Josh more.

It was this past year, on Shuko's 13th birthday, that Sanae visited with a surprise for us all. He had brought a few other young dobutsu with him that he was teaching how to survive on their own. They were all around Shuko's age, except for one who was a bit younger than the rest. The first one to greet Shuko was the youngest, ironically enough, while her brother tried to stop her. She stepped forward and shook hands with Shuko.

"Hiya, I'm Rhyme, a mouse dobutsu, or nezumi," she said cheerfully, smiling. Her black beanie covered her blonde hair pretty good, but her white mouse ears still poked out from two holes in the beanie. Her long, slender, white mouse tail swayed back and forth calmly. Shuko smiled slightly when she introduced herself.

"I'm Shuko, a cat and angel dobutsu, or winged neko," he said, laughing a bit. When he noticed the pair behind Rhyme give him a doubtful look, he spread his wings to their full length, which was around 13 feet. Having a 13 foot wingspan at his age was impressive, so I knew they were only going to get bigger. Rhyme quickly went back over to her brother and tugged him up with her, ignoring his protests.

"This is my big brother, Beat, a bear dobutsu!" she chirped, and looked expectantly at her brother. He reluctantly held his hand out, his brown bear ears flattened against his beanie, which concealed his blonde hair almost as well as Rhyme's did. The black beanie he wore also had two holes in it for his ears, just like his sister's. Shuko firmly shook hands with him, flashing a small, reassuring smile to Beat as though to say, 'I'm not gonna bite, ya know.'

"Nice to meet you, Beat," Shuko told him. Beat merely grunted, and Shuko's expression looked a bit hurt by it. Rhyme quickly remedied that, though, by smacking her brother on the back of the head with her tail, making Beat yelp in surprise and pain.

"What the heck, yo?!" he demanded of his sister.

"Be nice to Shuko!" Rhyme scolded. "Out here, we'll need friends, and this is the first one we've made since losing our parents! And Shiki doesn't count since we're living with her and Mr. H!"

"Sorry, sis…" Beat apologized, and then added swiftly when Rhyme elbowed him, "Sorry, Shuko…"

"It's okay," Shuko said, smirking. Then they all looked at the third dobutsu, a squirrel one, or risu. She stepped forward eagerly, holding out her hand as she clutched a stuffed black cat in her arms. Her small squirrel ears twitched excitedly as she grasped his hand, and her fluffy brown squirrel tail waved happily.

"I'm Shiki, and this is Mr. Mew!" she said, holding up the stuffed cat. Shuko seemed taken aback by her hyperness, but still managed to recover quickly enough to respond normally.

"Nice to meet you," he replied, still smiling slightly.

"Looks like you made some new friends, huh, Shuko?" Sanae laughed, and Shuko merely smiled at him.

"Thanks for this, Sanae," Joshua said gratefully.

"Yeah, Shuko needs to interact with someone other than us," Neku agreed. I jumped onto Neku's right shoulder, flashing a grateful smile at the panther.

"It's no big deal," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Besides, Rhyme is right in saying that they all need friends. It's a good way to guarantee survival." At that, he gave Beat a pointed look. The bear scowled a bit, but nodded anyway. "Anyway, we better get going. I need to teach these three how to fish." And on that note, Sanae bid us all farewell and led the three young dobutsu away in the direction of the river.

It was now a few months later since the four young dobutsu had met, and they had all become good friends since then. The three trainees would come by and visit at least a couple times a week to play with Shuko, and would then leave at sunset.

Whenever Shuko wasn't playing with his friends, though, he was either drawing on a sketchpad Sanae had brought him once while listening to the music he was given by Josh, Neku, and I for his 13th birthday, or practicing how to fly with Joshua. The headphones he owned now were the same as Neku's, only silvery blue instead of purple, and he had the same music player Neku had, too. It was funny, how much the boy was like his parents.

Anyway, it was one of these evenings when Joshua was out teaching Shuko some new flight techniques that Neku and I began chatting. I started the conversation by bringing up something I had noticed in my best friend during the past month and a half.

"So, when are you going to tell them?" I asked nonchalantly, and Neku looked at me, startled.

"What?" he asked, confused. I knew he was feigning innocence, obvious by his eyes that flicked about, trying to avoid looking at me.

"Neku, please don't lie to me," I said. He sighed and lowered his gaze to look at the ground.

"I don't know when I'll tell them," he mumbled.

"You do realize that you're gonna have to tell them that you're pregnant again soon, right?" I chided. He nodded, sighing heavily.

"Wait, you're pregnant again, Neku?" Joshua's voice rang out as he glided in with Shuko following closely. Neku's pale blue eyes widened in shock and his head snapped up as he realized his mate had heard him. Josh didn't sound upset, just surprised, which made me feel good about the situation.

"Y-yeah…" Neku whispered, nervous, as he lowered his head again. Joshua warmly embraced his neko, kissing him on the lips lovingly. Shuko and I had the decency to look away until Joshua spoke again.

"How long have you known, Neku?" the angel asked.

"About a month," the ginger murmured. Joshua hugged his neko tightly again, and then Shuko cleared his throat, making the pair look at him.

"So…does this mean I'm gonna be a big brother?" he asked. He knew what it meant to be pregnant, and that it wasn't unusual for a male dobutsu to be able to become pregnant. He had curious eyes watching his parents as they looked at each other.

"Yes, Shuko, you're gonna have a baby brother or sister," Joshua told him.

"But don't think that anything is going to change between our family, all right?" Neku assured him. Shuko nodded, smiling happily, and then hugged his parents, who hugged him back.

That night, we went to sleep, all of us happy. Before I fell asleep, though, I couldn't help but marvel at everything that has gone on since I came to this world. I had helped to raise a neko from infancy to adulthood, and even helped in raising his son. I had changed a lot, but for the better, and I wouldn't dare change it for the world. I don't regret anything that I've done in my life, and that would never change.

A/N: Hey guys, sorry this is such a short epilogue, but I think I'll write a one-shot sequel to this story, but I want some reviews before I start! At least a couple, okay? Anyhoo, Thanks for being such faithful readers and reviewers, it means so much to me! R&R, peeps!


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